April opens the door to the garden season ahead

April, named for Aphrodite the Greek goddess of love, is here and it will not be long until Northwest Ohio’s full garden season will be in bloom.

April’s flower is the sweet pea, which, in the language of flowers, means “good-bye” or “departure,” and this month does say good-bye to winter weather and hello to the warmer months ahead.

Yes, the sweet pea seems a good choice for this intermediary month.

With the warm days we have enjoyed this month, many gardeners have had the chance to get out to clean and prepare their beds and gardens for May. Right now, with very little growth in the garden, it is easier to see what needs to be removed, pruned and cleaned out. Dried plants and foliage from last year can be trimmed and dead plant material should be dug out and discarded. Avoid actually working your garden soil until it is thoroughly thawed and dried out enough to form a ball that will hold its shape when squeezed in your hand, but which will break up easily when pressed with your finger.

As soon as the soil can be worked, you can divide late-blooming perennials such as daylilies, asters and sedum. These will have time through the summer months to put on new growth and get established in their new locations.

There are also some seeds that can be planted in April that will produce flowers and vegetables as the weather warms. These plants prefer to begin their growth in the cooler weather of early spring and can be started now. They include bachelor’s buttons, cabbage, calendula, kale, peas, phlox, poppies, spinach, sweet peas and Swiss chard.

Want to try some new plant varieties this year? There are several that are new for 2010 that look interesting. A new tomato variety called “Tye-Dye” is a bicolor gold and red type that yields large seven-ounce fruits that are sweet, mild and non-acidic. “Confetti Blend” radishes produce a blend of red, white, and white and red globes that are crisp and spicy. They are fast growing – they grow from seed to maturity in 25 days – and are excellent for snacking or in salads.

“Fancy Dress” petunias are a bi-color cream and rose type of large size with soft ruffling petals. They have a mounded growth habit and grow 16 to 20 inches tall.

“Flying saucer” series lettuce is a crisp, sweet, leaf lettuce that is resistant to leaf burn and keeps well in the garden and after picking. It is great for salads, sandwiches or however you want to use it.

April opens the door to the garden season ahead, so, step out, step through and see your gardens and plant beds come to life again.

Let 2010 be your best garden season ever!

If you have garden questions or tips for other gardeners, send them in to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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